


striking distance

by thishorseiswack (orphan_account)



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-27
Updated: 2014-12-29
Packaged: 2018-03-03 18:48:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2863829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/thishorseiswack
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After fleeing from Silas, stumbling across a quaint little town in the mountains of Austria, and murdering a creepy gingerbread-obsessed woman, the crew finds that they must stick together to survive these unfortunate circumstances. </p><p>Set after the Carmilla Christmas Special</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The street outside the diner is deserted after Carmilla brutally murders the Christmas creep. After realizing this, Laura proposes that they stay here for as long as they can. Perry and LaFontaine agree once they weigh out the possibilities of the townsfolk coming into the diner to stake them in their sleep. They come to the conclusion that no one will bother them once seeing Carmilla disembowel the local who was about to turn them into gingerbread people (Laura's words, not Carmilla's). But just in case, they lock the door and search the storage closet in the back for a long cloth to cover up the windows. Carmilla slides into their booth again while Laura raids the shop of the chocolate milk stored in the fridge. 

"It's just like hot chocolate except..." 

Carmilla hears a clank of glass and the closing of the fridge behind her. 

"... Not hot," Laura finishes once she is successful, and walks back to the booth to push a tall glass of chocolate toward Carmilla. 

"Mmm," Carmilla nods, ignoring Laura's comment of the obvious, swirling the chocolate milk around in the cup. She motions for Laura to scoot over, and she walks by her to collect some blood from the corpse abandoned in the middle of the store. 

"Yeeeeah," Laura starts, "about that." She grimaces as Carmilla drains some blood from the Austrian woman and into her cup. "Can you maybe transport her elsewhere? Like not in the same room that we're probably going to be sleeping in for the next few days?"

Carmilla sighs loudly, but she stands up and sets her glass on the counter. "Fine," she says, attempting to sound annoyed, but Laura can see the smirk on her face. "Where should I move her?"

"Well, you'll still need her blood, right?"

Carmilla raises her eyebrows so high that Laura thinks they'll fall off. "Are you serious? I'm not drinking days old blood. What kind of vampire do you think I am?"

Laura scoffs and is about to say  _"Well, not a picky one"_ when Carmilla continues. "I usually keep my blood in the fridge, didn't that tip you off? That maybe I like it fresh, instead of spilled from a corpse that will soon attract flies?" She sounds pretty offended. 

"Okay, okay," Laura says, and she's surprised she even gets a word in.

Carmilla takes on a waitress impression now as she stands up, "Sorry, Miss, would you like your food served to you several days old and to lick it off the tiles that look like they're cleaned every  _two months_ \--"

"Okay!" Laura exclaims, shaking her head as she turns and walks toward the door leading to the hallway at the back of the restaurant. "I get it, I get it." 

Carmilla quirks one eyebrow, but she leans down to continue her process of draining the woman.

And, when Laura's almost out of the room, in a much,  _much_ quieter voice she murmurs under her breath, "I get that you're a picky vampire." 

Score one for her, since Carmilla doesn't hear her and she gets to live another day. 

 

=

 

After Perry and LaFontaine manage to staple a blanket across the wide window at the front of the shop, they settle into separate cubicles a couple of booths from the entrance. Carmilla grabs a hold of the corpse's ankles and starts to pull her. She only gets a couple of inches from her original starting point, when Laura notices the current event unfolding. 

"Hey!" she yells, briskly walking over to Carmilla and raising one of her hands as if that will stop her and urge her to listen. To Laura's surprise, (and Perry and LaFontaine's expectation) Carmilla does. "Don't just  _drag_ her out!"

"And why not?" Carmilla snaps, letting go of the ankles and watching Laura wince from the loud  _thump_ the impact between the feet and the ground creates. Laura looks at her in disbelief as she straightens her back. 

"Because you're quite literally cleaning the floor-- the one you were just complaining about-- with the corpse of the woman you just murdered." Laura waves a circle in the air to gesture to the tangled limbs on the ground and raises her shoulders like she's giving the most obvious answer and Carmilla's blind for not seeing the repercussions of her own actions. 

"Okay, and how do you suggest I 'transport her' then?" Sarcasm is dripping from Carmilla's voice as she impatiently huffs and roughly rests her hand on her hip. The action is so forced, it affects her hair and clothing; they shift as if wind has been blown through them, and her curls bounce from side to side. 

"Well," Laura says calmly, walking towards her to stand beside her after seeing Carmilla's tense posture, "maybe you could just carry her?"

It's Carmilla's turn to scoff and look at her in disbelief. "Oh, what? Like, a wedding carry? You want me to carry her like my bride?"

Perry and LaFontaine's eyes widen and they cringe as they glance above the tables and booths to see the commotion. 

"Well, it's better than dragging her blood across the floor!"

"Oh, really? Because if we're going by your logic, I can just lick it up off the tiles and claim it as my dinner." 

Two loud exasperated sighs can be heard, and Perry sits up, raising a finger as if it helps show that she has a suggestion. 

"What if you just--"

"You know what?" Carmilla cuts in, ignoring the Ginger twins in the corner of the restaurant and the fact that Perry even tries to speak up. "Fine." She leans down and hefts the corpse up harshly in a bridal style, throwing it up slightly to adjust its position in her arms as she turns to face Laura. "I'll be back after the honeymoon." 

And with that, she storms off into the back of the store, and Laura tries not to burst out laughing as she hears a door slam and a loud _"Damn it!"_ as another thud can be heard. When Carmilla returns several minutes later, she sees Perry has taken attention to the blood she had previously smeared on the floor. 

"Oh, thanks," she mutters, and Perry turns her head slightly to acknowledge Carmilla, nodding slowly. Carmilla steps by the furious scrubbing to her and Laura's booth, finally noticing Laura sitting in it. She pats the seat beside her, and Carmilla slides in, leaving a few inches of space between them.

"Carmilla," Laura croons, raising her hand to cup Carmilla's cheek. "I'm sorry."

Carmilla shakes her head, focusing on the detail of the wooden table in front of them. "It's okay."

"I'm just-- It's Christmas, and I'm here, arguing about how to dump a corpse." She laughs in disbelief, running her free hand through her hair while she stares off at some gingerbread house on the counter behind Carmilla's head. This causes Carmilla's eyes to dart up to focus on Laura's movements, watching her hair fall back into place. 

"I know." 

She tries to understand, she really does. But it's a bit hard when she has no family left, and also the fact that she doesn't really care that it's Christmas. Celebrating by herself for years has taken away any special feeling that holiday cheer has to offer. 

"I just miss him." Laura lets her hand drop to Carmilla's lap, and Carmilla blindly finds it, holding it tightly in hers. Her eyes don't leave Laura's face as she lifts their hands to kiss Laura's. 

"I know," she echoes. Laura focuses in on Carmilla, staring at her like she's lost in thought. 

"I'm just so agitated." 

Carmilla finds herself subconsciously leaning closer to Laura. 

"I know."

Laura picks up on the distance closing between them. 

"So frustrated," she adds quietly, scooting across the seat so slowly, but so closely that their hips press up against one another. 

"I know," Carmilla whispers, tucking a strand of Laura's hair behind her ear. Their lips are practically an inch away from each other. 

"And..." Laura closes her eyes ever so slowly, and Carmilla repeats her action. Their lips finally connect-- perfectly, top-to-top and bottom-to-bottom. Laura's strawberry lip gloss spreads on Carmilla's lips, and Carmilla melts from the taste, regardless of the fact that she doesn't even like human food all that much. Their eyes are lightly closed with pleasure and affection, and every other sensation is heightened as sight is eliminated. Laura can feel her blush spreading through her cheeks to the tips of her ears as Carmilla's hands rest on her back to pull her even closer, and the result is Laura's legs shifting to lay across Carmilla's lap. She didn't think they could be any closer, but here they are, face to face, and practically chest to chest. Their lips open at the same time, as if they are silently communicating with each other, and their tongues glide over each other for a second as they both sigh, their breaths invading each other's mouths. The lingering taste of Carmilla's breath in Laura's mouth makes her shiver with lust,  and she giggles when she feels Carmilla smile against her. 

They pull apart so minimally their lips are practically still touching, and Carmilla presses her nose against Laura's. She's so close, it's hard for Laura to see her facial expression, but she doesn't miss her shy smile. 

Carmilla bites her bottom lip as she lets a small giggle escape from in between her lips ( _a giggle?!_ Laura can't believe her ears). Laura knows it's by accident because she's never seen Carmilla look so embarrassed. 

"And...?" Carmilla stares into her eyes innocently while Laura just tilts her head a bit in confusion. "You were about to say something before I rudely interrupted you."

Laura can't help but laugh now, because that's the last thing she did. 

"I think I was going to just keep complaining," Laura jokes, and Carmilla smiles as she looks down to stare at their hands in her lap. She gently plays with Laura's fingers.

"You can continue, if you'd like?" Carmilla raises her eyebrows, and she doesn't know much about comforting people, but she's trying for Laura. Apparently talking about feelings helps, sometimes-- or so she's heard. 

"No, no," Laura assures her. "I'm fine."

They share a smile before Laura kisses Carmilla on the cheek once again. When she pulls away, she lifts her free hand to her mouth while she yawns. 

"You're tired? We can sleep," Carmilla suggests, but it's more of a statement Laura realizes, as she watches her slide out of the booth and helping Laura lay back on the cushion. She walks away for a brief moment before reappearing with a blanket she stole from Perry's huge knapsack, and she covers Laura with it, tucking her in. Suddenly, her eyes widen and she mumbles an "I'll be right back", and Laura props herself up with her forearm, hearing some fumbling on the other end of the diner. When Carmilla returns with a yellow pillow in her hands, Laura takes back what she thought earlier and thinks that  _this_ is the most embarrassed she has ever seen Carmilla be.  _  
_

"I umm, I thought you might've wanted this, so I sneaked it in Perry's backpack." She fumbles with the edges, before brushing it off with a shrug and a change in the tone of her voice; it's impassive now. She can certainly hide her feelings quite well. "The thing is huge anyway, she practically fit her entire dorm room in there."

Laura laughs and accepts the pillow when Carmilla holds it out for her, setting it behind her against the wall. Carmilla shifts her feet uncomfortably, her hands behind her back as she stares at the dirty tiles. She starts to walk away slowly when Laura speaks up quickly. 

"Wait! Umm-- would you like to maybe sleep right there? On the other side?" She looks at the other side of the table to the seat directly across from hers. Carmilla blinks, a bit of a blank look on her face. She looks surprised, no doubt, and Laura thinks she might decline until she slides into the booth, bending her knees so her feet don't dangle off the edge of the seat. Laura smiles, resting her head against her pillow before she looks down at Carmilla's legs again. Her gaze wanders up her body until it lands on her head, her hair splayed against the seat. Without another thought, she pulls the pillow from under her head and lightly presses the end of it against Carmilla's face, holding it out for her under the table. 

"What the--?" Carmilla eye's flutter open, as if she'd been sleeping, which is definitely not the case. Laura likes surprising her; she thinks she'll do it more often. 

"Take it," Laura says, and there's something in her voice that doesn't let Carmilla question her. 

"Thank you," she says quietly, taking it so slowly that Laura's arm start to hurt from holding it up for too long than she's used to. When Carmilla finally rests her head against the pillow, Laura drops her arm, but before she can pull it back fully, Carmilla's hand catches hers. After a few minutes, and when Laura's just about drift into unconsciousness, Carmilla whispers, "Merry Christmas, Laura." She finds the need to say it because when Laura had said it earlier, she hadn't repeated it.

"Merry Christmas," Laura mumbles. "... Carm."

Carmilla's eyes burst open and she instantly glances up, waiting for Laura's next sentence, but she relaxes when she realizes her name was simply delayed in her response. She softly rubs her thumb against Laura's hand, and they fall asleep with their hands acting a bridge between them. 

Carmilla isn't sure what's going to happen, what with having to evacuate the school and such, but maybe this wasn't such a bad plan. And maybe Carmilla doesn't mind Christmas this year-- even if it does mean wearing a stupid Grumpy Cat sweater for her human. 


	2. Chapter 2

It's uncharacteristically sunny for the current situation at hand, Laura thinks, while she groans and tries to stretch her back to soothe the painstaking ache in her lower back. The booths proved to be very unfit to sleep on, and the four of them all realize this as soon as they slowly try to shake off the last remnants of sleep. 

"Whose idea was it to sleep on these heinous cushions that someone decided to cover with the most unauthentic leather I've ever seen?" 

Laura's eyes are barely open but she recognizes the croakiness of the voice that is Carmilla's. It's most likely extra croaky from waking up not too long ago. 

"What do you suggest we should've slept on, then? The ground that has murder written all over it?" 

LaFontaine, definitely LaFontaine. 

"It's not my fault  _someone_ begged me to commit murder and propose it as a Christmas gift."

Carmilla again. Her voice is closer than Laura had expected. 

"Guys." Laura rubs her eyes and yawns with such a force that she thinks her jaw might lock open, until she pops it out of that position once the yawn has finally ended. "Please don't fight, we just woke up, literally, ten hot seconds ago." She blinks a few times and her vision is blurry until she rubs her eyes again. "And besides, we got over the murder last night, _remember?"_ She turns her head to squint her eyes in an accusing (but half joking) way at LaFontaine, who sighs apologetically, but immediately glares at Carmilla once Laura looks away and focuses on stretching her back again. 

"Yeah, before the idea of sleeping here was brought up," LaFontaine mutters, and she knows Carmilla hears her because she returns her glare. 

"I thought bio majors liked gritty and gruesome," Carmilla says knowingly (resembling a smart-ass, not surprising LaFontaine one bit), shifting her head side to side in a wavy motion, and in a mocking way to match the tone of her voice. 

"Oh, we do; it's just that Perry here isn't exactly who we consider to be 'light-stomached'", they say, raising their eyebrows and glancing at Perry as if they're expecting a conformation from her. They can't help the shy smile that paves its way across their face once they lock eye contact. Perry feels a very familiar heat creep up her cheeks and up to the tips of her ears, and pushes her thick, curly hair behind her ear all too quickly. Carmilla raises her eyebrow at Perry in a fake-surprised kind of way, her eyes widening sarcastically and her mouth slightly open to further emphasize her expression. 

"Yes, well." Perry slides off the cheap leather the booth has to offer, immediately making her way behind the counter to start fixing up a pot of coffee. 

"Anyway," Carmilla says, rolling her eyes at the sheepish grin currently enveloping the bio major's face. Carmilla returns her intense stare to Laura's sleepy eyes, her eyes softening once she sees the shorter girl's half lidded gaze. "Are you hungry?" she finds herself blurting out. 

Damn, even her voice sounds too soft.  _This girl will be the reason I'll end up a melting substance on the floor of this shitty diner. I'll just liquidize and turn to mush, I'm practically already a soft bowl of gross feelings and--_

"Yes, I think that's a good idea-- to eat, I mean," Laura mumbles lazily, interrupting Carmilla's flooding thoughts. Without another word, Carmilla places her hands on the table to hoist herself up from the table, and heading over to where Perry is standing. 

"Do we have any chocolate milk left?" Carmilla quietly asks the red haired girl beside her who is pouring coffee into tiny mugs. 

"Yes, it should be in the refrigerator there," she says, pointing to the fridge with her eyes as her hands busy themselves with the steaming mugs. Carmilla glides across the tiles and opens the fridge, locating the small carton of chocolate milk that Laura loves so much. She fills two mugs identical to the ones Perry is holding and handing to LaFontaine. She sets the carton back into its spot in the fridge, and shuffles over to Laura who is a bit more awake now. 

"Thanks," Laura says with a small smile once Carmilla sets the cup down in front of her on the table. 

"So what now?" Carmilla asks impatiently while she sits across from Laura before she even has a chance to fully swallow her mouthful of chocolate milk. Laura gulps hard, putting the cup down as she shrugs.

"I don't actually know, but I suppose we can't live off of sweets and chocolate milk forever."

An approving sound is distinguishable from across the diner as Perry turns in her and LaFontaine's booth to look at Laura and Carmilla. 

"I agree," she says, nodding enthusiastically. "Maybe we should go look around for shops that sell, you know, actual food?"

"Perr, this is actual food," LaFontaine mumbles around a piece of gingerbread. Perry rolls her eyes and pulls the cookie from LaFontaine's hands, shaking her head in disapproval. "Hey--" They begin to protest, but a look from Perry quiets them. 

"Okay, well what about the staking situation? You know, with their threatening pitchforks freshly sharpened last night?" LaFontaine raises their eyebrows and Perry sighs, shaking her head. 

"I guess we're just going to be cooped up in here until we all die of starvation or the sugar overload, whichever one comes  _first_ ," Perry rambles anxiously, and LaFontaine reaches across the table to rest their hand comfortingly on Perry's arm. 

"We're not going to die surrounded by gingerbread houses and tinsel, I can assure you that," Carmilla claims, crossing her arms and huffing. Laura studies Carmilla for a second before getting an idea. 

"Hey, the townsfolk are afraid of Carm, right?"

Perry and LaFontaine's heads jerk up at the same time to give Laura a shared expression mixed between confusion and fear. They already know what she's about to suggest, but they can't help being afraid; for the townspeople, of course. 

"Well," Laura shifts to the side so she can glance at the couple near the other end of the diner and Carmilla and only turn her head to each side to do so. "I think if Carmilla goes outside they won't touch us. Remember how they all dispersed once they saw Carmilla devour Mrs. Klaus?"

The group simultaneously nods approvingly, knowing where this is going, and Carmilla sighs, shrugging as she gets up from the table. 

"Well, alright then. Whose the lucky one joining me on this journey?" Her eyebrows are raised, and her eyes move slowly from Laura, to Perry, and to LaFontaine, as if she's mentally deciding who she wants to tag along with her. Laura almost immediately pipes up and holds up her hand.

"I'll go," she says, as if it's the best decision for the group and that she's sacrificing herself so Perry and LaFontaine don't have to. But really, she just really wants to go with Carmilla and tour the town (and everyone knows that). Carmilla pulls her leather jacket on, slipping her feet into her short black boots. Laura digs around in Perry's suitcase of a backpack and finds her mittens, scarf, and hat. Her coat is draped on a booth and she shrugs it on, turning to Carmilla once she's buttoning herself up. 

"That's it?" she asks, waving her hand down the length of Carmilla's body to gesture to the lack of clothing on the vampire. 

"Yeah?" Carmilla holds onto either side of the opening of her jacket with a steady grip. She looks confused; as if it's obvious that she'll be totally warm in the bitter cold of Austria. 

"Carm, you do realize it's freezing outside, right? We're practically in the middle of the alps," Laura replies in a stern, caring voice. The way she stands in front of the door tells Carmilla she's not going to be able to leave without making some minor (major) adjustments to her current outfit. She rolls her eyes dramatically, loosening up and motioning to Perry's hiking backpack, passively letting Laura be in charge of what goes on her body. Laura jumps at the chance, diving into the backpack for some extra warmth for Carmilla. A few seconds later, she emerges, and is successful in her search. She holds up a pair of dark red mittens and a black beanie. Carmilla begins to protest, but Laura's eyes say "please?" and she can't deny them.

They walk out of the abandoned diner wearing matching mittens (unbeknownst to Carmilla; Laura thinks it's best if it stays this way). Laura prances out onto the cobblestone, with Carmilla tagging along behind her, looking especially pissed. Before they're fully out the door, Perry and LaFontaine promise to do some cleaning, and Laura knows at least half of them will stay true to it (she secretly regards the two of them as a whole, and so referring to only one of them as a half makes sense). 

The street is made up of stores that look very similar to the diner they just exited from; old, overly decorated for Christmas, and a bit creepy. They aren't deserted, though. There are people spilling out onto the streets, looking at displays in front of the shops and simply walking in the middle of the street. It's a walking street, and Laura grabs Carmilla's hand before racing off to a few bookcases in front of a bookstore. Carmilla can't help but gape at her in surprise, but she doesn't let go of her hand when they come to a stop before a bookcase so old that it surprises every passerby by even standing upright. Laura runs her finger down the spine of a leather bound book, exhaling and covering a few books in her visible breath. Carmilla can see fascination glowing in Laura's eyes, so she lays her hand against the books resting on top and beside the one that has captivated Laura. 

"Pull," she calmly instructs, and Laura does so. She examines the damaged book, which, with a little help from Carmilla and her extensive knowledge of the German language, happens to be a poetry book.

"Would you like it?" Carmilla asks, her voice is almost a whisper, and it sounds like velvet in Laura's ears. Laura nods, grinning up at her, and Carmilla takes the book, walking into the store. Laura runs after her, and she watches Carmilla speak what sounds like a greeting to the old man behind the counter (which is odd, because Laura knows that in Germany and Austria it isn't common to make small talk). He looks like he is about to be swallowed by books. They are stacked on the counter, behind the counter, on shelves of every wall, and on the bookshelves that are placed so tight together that makes it near impossible to maneuver around the store. _There is a bit of room between the counter and the nearest bookshelf, though, so at least he has that small space to breathe_ , Laura thinks. Carmilla pays for the book, and she captures Laura's hand before they even leave the bookstore. 

"Thank you," Laura says quietly, looking up at Carmilla. She sees the small smile creeping onto the vampire's face. 

 

They walk in between shelves of old knickknacks being sold in front of stores, and they admire the antiques placed on them. Laura plays with a pair of binoculars, and Carmilla leans in a little too close on purpose; Laura admires the details of her eyes in the lenses, then her smooth lips, and then her sharp, perfect teeth, and then the tip of her pointed nose, and then her--

"Cupcake?" Carmilla jokes, only centimeters away from the end of Laura's binoculars. She presses the end of her nose lightly against the binoculars, and it pushes into Laura's face as she does so. She hadn't even realized how long she had been gaping, oh God. 

"Oh! Sorry, I was just looking-- they're very beautiful and... intricate." Laura smiles shyly, and oh, she's so embarrassed that her face is a light shade of pink. Carmilla notices, she thinks, because she gives her a look that borders between "not buying it" and "okay, sure sweetheart, whatever you say". Laura can practically hear her voice behind those words. But, Carmilla directs her attention to a magnifying glass on a shelf beside them, picking it up and holding up in front of Laura's lips. 

"What are you doing?" Laura laughs, blindly setting the binoculars on the shelf and looking down at Carmilla's hand gripping the handle of the magnifying glass.

"Just admiring it's beauty, it's just so intricate," she jokes, and Laura now has a tinge of red filling her cheeks. 

Yup, Carmilla had noticed, definitely had noticed. 

 

They finally find the food stands in front of the shops, and Laura basically runs to the apple cart, admiring the fresh fruit. Carmilla patiently walks after her, and when she's caught up, she catches the eye of the shop owner, signalling him over. 

"We'll take a bag of these," she speaks in German, and points to a few more fruits with Laura as her guide. In the middle of her order, Laura grasps Carmilla's hand in her own, pointing to the fruits she likes with Carmilla's finger instead of her own. Laura finds this hysterical, and Carmilla can't stop the smile that has already found its way onto her lips. They start walking back to their diner, carrying fruits their own weight, when Carmilla notices the meat shop. She excuses herself and disappears inside, leaving Laura in the middle of the street, with plastic bags filled with fruits in each hand. After several minutes, she places them on the ground beside her feet when the weight proves to be too heavy. Her eyes wander along the street, and her gaze stops on the shelf she had found her book on. There is an empty space where her poetry book used to be, and she smiles at the way Carmilla had waltzed into the store to buy it for her. Speaking of which, where had the sudden dispensable amount of money come from? Why hadn't she just bought them a cab and had them driven out here instead of walking through the Alps for days?  

"Hey," says a familiar voice beside her, interrupting her deep thoughts. Carmilla has finally emerged from the meat shop, with a few new bags in her hands.

"Oh! Hi," she replies, bending down to pick up her bags. 

"Too heavy?" Carmilla asks, leaning in closer to Laura. The sudden close proximity makes Laura's breath catch in her throat, and she fumbles with the bags in her hands. 

"No, nope, they're-- I mean, it's fine," she assures her, grinning, but Carmilla isn't convinced. She bends down to take both of her bags from her, holding them with ease. "Oh! Thanks," Laura mumbles, and Carmilla smirks. 

"Come  _on,_ " Carmilla says, a full blown grin spreading across her face. They make their way back down the street, and even with the heavy bags in her hands, Carmilla manages to open the door to the diner for Laura. She shuts the door behind her with her foot, though. The heavy slam causes Perry and LaFontaine to jump in their spots on the ground. Laura is unwrapping her scarf from around her neck when she laughs at them. Perry is furiously scrubbing the tiles with a large cleaning brush, and LaFontaine is dumping out old chocolate into the garbage (with a rather sad look on their face). 

"Oh, back from your trip?" Perry asks, wiping a lone curl in her face with her forearm. She is wearing long, yellow cleaning gloves. 

"Yes, and we're successful!" Laura says with a very happy smile. 

"How did you buy those?" LaFontaine asks, suspicion lacing their voice. Laura glances back at Carmilla, who has a blank look on her face. 

"I have money?" she says, like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"Well yes, of course you do," Perry mutters, standing up. "But where did you  _get_ it from? A day ago, we were broke, hungry, and tired-- and we had to run into a nearby diner to make sure we didn't freeze to death and get impaled by pitchforks!" 

LaFontaine glides around the counter, resting a hand on Perry's back to calm her down. 

"I didn't have time to access my money until late last night," Carmilla explains, staring straight into Perry's eyes. "It was only safe to do so then, and not anytime sooner."

Perry nods distantly, and LaFontaine is saying something quietly in her ear. She smiles faintly, and nods, before kneeling back down to continue scrubbing. LaFontaine walks back around the counter to wipe it clean of gingerbread crumbs that weren't there before Laura and Carmilla had left. 

"So, what did you get?" they ask excitedly, smiling at Laura. Laura returns the excitement, happily walking to the bags hanging from Carmilla's grip and peering in.

"Lot's of fruits," she says, and LaFontaine's excitement is slowly drained. 

"Fruits?" 

Laura scoffs, and takes a bag from Carmilla to bring to the counter. 

"Yes,  _fruits,_ " she repeats, unloading them one by one. "We need something healthy in our systems after last night."

"Since when do you care about healthy, Hollis?" LaFontaine jokes, smirking at the shorter girl who is about to fire back a remark about actually trying to be very healthy ever since the events of last night, until Perry speaks up instead.

"Laura's right," she agrees, still scrubbing extra hard at one stubborn stain on the ground that resembles blood. She tries not to think about the fact that she's not cleaning in the same spot that the cannibalistic woman was murdered in last night. 

"We also have meat," Laura tries, and LaFontaine brightens up from this fact. 

"How will we cook it?" they ask suddenly, stopping their cleaning process, and Perry thinks for a second, halting midway through a long scrub. 

"We'll figure something out, honey." She continues cleaning, thinking about the possible strength of the oven behind LaFontaine. 

 

Laura munches on an apple slice a few hours later, trying to translate her poetry book. She's sitting in her and Carmilla's booth again, and she subconsciously decides that this is their spot. It's been quiet since Perry and LaFontaine had decided it was safe enough to venture outside, and Carmilla had disappeared shortly afterward, as well. Laura doesn't mind the quiet, and she's fine being alone if she ignores the thought of the rotting corpse in the closet, down the hall, at the back of the diner. She reaches for another slice on the plate in front of her, her hand searching blindly as she refuses to look up from her book. The plate is farther than her hand anticipates, and she instead touches something cool and hard instead. In surprise, she jerks her hand back and practically throws the book, but relaxes when she sees the item she had touched. Carmilla must've sneaked back in during Laura's intense reading session, because in front of her is something only they know of.

In the corner of the table of their booth, sits the old binoculars that Carmilla just couldn't leave behind. 


End file.
